My group, which included Gabby and Sarah P., decided to
make a new and improved coffee cup lid for this project. Originally, we had
wanted to create a better coffee cup that was better insulated and that also
had an attached lid. (It would be a part of the cup but still removable from
the top.) However, we soon encountered problems with being unable to stack the
cups that had permanently attached lids. So we ended up deciding to create just
a lid that would be able to act as a coaster as well as a lid. So this meant
that the lid needed to fit around the bottom of the cup as well as the top.
We studied already made coffee cups and decided in order
to accomplish this we would have to cut out the center of the lid and replace
it with a deeper dish that allowed room for the base of the cup.
We first wanted
to make the base of the dish out of foam and the edges out of cardboard. After
cutting out the foam and seeing how inexact the disk came out to be we chose to
make it using the 3D printer instead. By making it with the printer we were
able to create the base to be the perfect size and shape.
Afterwards, we
experimented with cardboard strips to fit around the plastic disk however soon
came to realize that the cardboard wouldn’t slant to fit the cone-like
structure of the cup. Instead, we decided to use card stock which was more
flexible and was also thinner. Although card stock couldn’t fit the shape of
the cup perfectly either, because it was more versatile we were able to layer
strips of it with tape in the proper shape and then trim it to the height we
wanted. We then attached to plastic base to the cardstock ring and then to the
lid with the center cut out. Finally, we painted the cup and the lid purple to
add some aesthetic appeal!
 |
| As a lid |
 |
| As a coaster |
The prototype process was different from what I
expected. I knew that it wouldn’t be completely smooth sailing but I didn’t
expect to have to change our idea for the prototype and our plans on how to
make it so many times. Despite this, it was a very fun process and I really
enjoyed having to think outside of the box to solve the problems that we faced.
I particularly liked learning about and using the devices I haven’t before such
as the 3D printer and the foam cutter.
Our Prototype:
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